Vehicle jack



Sept. 15, 1936.

T. c. WHITE VEHICLE JACK Filed Jan 23 1935 Patented Sept. 15, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VEHICLE more Tom 0. White, Billings, Mont.

Application January 23, 1935, Serial No. 3,097

' solaims. (o1.254 "1s3i Y The present invention is primarily directed to an improvedvehicle jack head of the general type illustrated in my copending application, Ser. No. 732,313, filed June 25, 1934, now Patent Number 2,000,503. 7

Generally speaking, the invention pertains to a self ce'ntering head for vehicle jacks which enables the operator to place the jack beneath any convenient part of the automobile, such as an axle, spring,' etc., with the assurance that the head will be properly centered and will'support the weight of the vehicle when the lifting rod of the jack is elevated. The improved head may be formed as a standard part of the vehicle jack or it may be readily applied in place of the conventional head, whether of the screw-threaded, ratchet rod, or hydraulic type.

A further object of this invention is to so construct a platform or base member, upon which the weight of the car rests in elevated position, that all of the weight is distributed directly over the elevating rod of the jack, thus relieving the head member from strain.

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the self-centering head and platform.

Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are vertical cross-sectional views taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the head.

Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a modified form of head and platform.

Essentially, the jack-head consists of a more or less elliptically shaped member I having a forward upturned, elevated end portion 2, and a lower opposite end portion 3. The body section of the head I is preferably made of metal and may be bent from a sheet, machined, or cast. The size and strength of the head is varied according to the weight it must support. Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the head possesses a symmetrically curved face which terminates at a considerably higher height than the base portion of the head. This face 4 is in the nature of a cam surface, so that all portions thereof are arcuate and possess no angular or straight surfaces. A forwardly extending symmetrically shaped nose 5 may be provided. The middle section of the head 6 is substantially flat and forms the base for the head member to be applied to the elevating rod A of a vehicle jack. The lower rearward extension 3 of the head terminates slightly above the horizontal plane of the base portion 6.

Continuously formed around the upper edge of the head I is an upstanding edge I, and, as clearly shown in the several views of the drawing, the exterior areasand edges or the head present only curveds'urfaees. affiiied to the lifting rod A of a jack by' means of a screw bolt 8, or the end of'the lifting rod A may be reduced in diameter, passed through an opening in the head and either swaged or weld-ed, as shown in Fig. 3, In' Fig. 2 the head isrigidly bolted to a rotating 'serew ty e lifting rod A,- while in Fig. 4 a swivel screw is used, so that the head may turn on the non-rotating toothed lifting red A. In all forms of attachment, however, the head is mounted off-center of the lifting rod A. r

A transverse upstanding lug 9 is suitably formed in the lower portion of the inner face of the arcu'- ate section 2, for the purpose of holding a drift pin I0, upon which is pivoted a hinged platform or weight supporting member II. This pivoted platform is formed with an interior cavity or bore I2 in which is fitted a coil spring I3 bearing against a tubular plug I4. The upstanding lug 9 is formed with oblique front and vertical rear faces, against which the plug I4 is urged by the spring I3. As illustrated in Fig. 2 the platform I I normally lies in upward pivoted position and is encompassed within the arcuately formed portion 2. The plug I4 bearing against the outer face of the lug 9 holds it in snug position. Fig. 3 illustrates the platform II after it has been pivoted downwardly and rests directly over the elevating rod A of the jack, the plug I4 bearing on the inner straight face of the lug 9 in this position. The base portion 6 of the head and the under-face of the pivoted platform I I are preferupper surface of the platform is equally distributed and no part of the axle, etc., contacts with the raised edge I.

Fig. 6 is a modified form of head, wherein the pivoted platform, 20 is provided with an extension 2| which is bent around a drift pin 22. This pin is set transversely in an opening 23 formed in the middle portion of the plate and permits the platform 20 to be pivoted thereabout and lie in a similar operative position to the platform shown in Fig. 2. A latch pin. is carried through an opening in the upper portion of the high side of the head, and is retained in position by flat spring 25 which is secured in a slot in the outer face of the high end portion. A cooperating slot 26 receives the latch pin 24 to hold the platform in elevated position. When it is desired to lower the platform, it is only necessary to disengage the latch pin, whereupon the The head may be ably flat, so that all the weight applied on the 35 platform is pivoted downwardly to lie directly 7 over' the lifting rod.

g In operation the hinged platform is unlatched and pivoted over the lifting rod A and the jack, with the-upstanding or high'edge of the head 7 forward, moved into contact with the axle or other part of the automobile.

of the head upon contacting the axle or spring, etc., and because of its symmetrical arcuate exterior, is. swivelled or swungaround on thejack lifting'rod, so that the platform is directlylunder the axle or other point of contact, where the vehicle will be supported when raised. 'As the; lifting rod of the jack is elevated, the weight of the car is firmly supported'on the roughened upper surface of the platform and, the entire. 'weight is distributed evenly over the platform,

and, consequently, throughthe elevating rod to the jack-base. The exterior contour of' .the head is such that rotary self-centering 'movement is impartedto the head at normatterwhat. degree of angle it is presented to the axle. If,

V ,for any reason, the jack-head becomes turned around or swivels while being placed under the car so that the high portion,-instead of being forward, is' towards the rear, the high offset.

- will still strike the axle, etc., andarrest it, and upon elevation of the rod, support the weight of the car on the platform.

.What I claim is: j r 7 r '1. A self-centering head for vehicle jacks including ahorizontal base section, an integral upstanding extension on one end of saidbasesection, and a pivoted weight distributing platform normally lying against said upstanding exten- The high portion sion and adapted to pivot over and contact with said base portion. I 2. A self-centering head for vehicle jacks including a substanttially horizontal base portion, a

an upwardly extending extension therefor integrally formed on one end thereof, and an auxiliary pivoted weight supporting platform normally lying against said extension and adapted to pivot over against the horizontal base portion,

7 3. A self-centering headfor jacks including a substantially horizontal base portion,.an upwardly extending concaved extension on one end of said base portion, a weight distributing.

platform. pivoted to the said base portion and adapted to contact therewith when weight is being supported by said head and to be retained in said concave extension when not supporting aweightp 4. A self centering and'self-locating head for vehicle jacks including a horizontally disposed base plate having a flat central portion and a, concave elevated end porti0n,,a weight distributingplatform pivoted to saidbase plate and'normally lying within. the concaved. end portion while adaptedto pivot over andoverlie. the flat central portion. I 5. A self-centering head for vehicle jacks in cluding a substantially horizontally disposed base plate having a flat central portion and an up- 7 i wardly extending end portion, a platform member pivotally attached adjacent the central portion. of the said base plate and adapted to be held'in contact with either said central portion or said end portion. v

TOM C. WHITE. 

